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Maybe he’s at Rex’s.
It is New Year’s Eve, after all.
Without a second thought, I call Rex.
“Piper? Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Is everything okay?” Rex asks.
“Yes, everything is fine. Or everything will be. I was wondering if you know where Trent is? Is he with you?”
“No, dear. He’s not in a very festive mood, unfortunately,” he explains, the taint of sadness in his own voice gutting me from within.
“I… um… went to his apartment, but he’s not there. I really need to talk to him.”
“I see that.” He lets out an exhale.
“Do you know where he can be? Please, Rex. I wouldn’t be calling you if it wasn’t important that I see him.”
“I may have an idea.”
“Okay,” I let out a relieved sigh, but when Rex takes too long to answer, my hackles rise. “Well? Are you going to tell me?”
“Trent’s a good man,” Rex says instead of giving me an address.
“I know he is.”
“He didn’t have the best childhood, you know?”
“I know.” I nod.
“He’s gone through a lot in his life. I know he acts like he’s above it all, but there’s more to him than meets the eye. He’s more than those fancy suits he likes to wear. Under all those tattoos that he likes to show off is a big heart—one that can get easily bruised by the people he lets inside it,” he says with an underlying warning in his tone. “Are you going to do right by my boy, Piper? Because my heart can’t take looking at him so distraught. He deserves more than that. He deserves someone who would risk it all just for him. So are you? Will you do right by him like he’s vowed to do right by you?”
Another pang hits my chest because of his words.
Words that must have been said to him in confidence by Trent himself.
“I’m going to try, Rex. That’s all I can promise right now. That I’m going to try my damn hardest to make him happy. Like he makes me.”
Rex goes silent for a while as if pondering whether my answer is good enough for him.
“He’s probably at the arena. Check the ice rink. If he is anywhere in there, that’s where he’ll be.”
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” I repeat, relieved.
“You’re welcome,” he says in a cheerful tone. “I’ll let security know you’re coming and give you clearance. Best of luck, dear.”
“Thank you. I’m going to need it.”
I start the car and drive to the Guardians Arena, my heart thumping like crazy in my chest with what I’m about to do.
The risk I’m about to take.
But it doesn’t matter.
Rex is right.
Trent is worth it.
We’re worth it.
